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Gas station employee hospitalized after car knocks him to the ground

An employee of a gas station on Powell Boulevard was hospitalized Tuesday, March 22, after he tried to stop a driver who was reportedly stealing gasoline.

Portland Police Bureau officers responded to a report around 8:49 p.m. of a person being thrown from a vehicle near the Shell gas station at 16331 S.E. Powell Blvd. They arrived to find Philem Botros, 39, of Southeast Portland, lying in the street suffering from serious but non life-threatening injuries.

Botros underwent surgery Wednesday, March 23, at Oregon Health and Science University. Tamara Hargens-Bradley, hospital spokeswoman, said he was listed in serious condition as of Friday afternoon, March 25.

The suspect driver, described as a white male in his 30s operating a silver or gray newer body-style Ford Explorer or Expedition sports utility vehicle with a female passenger, remains at large.

Botros was in the process of pumping gas for the vehicle on Tuesday, when he told the driver he should go inside the station to pay for gas, but the driver started the car instead.

The attendant reached in the driver's side door, but held on when the vehicle started moving at a high rate of speed. He fell off the vehicle within a long block of the gas station. Portland police Sgt. Pete Simpson said he wasn't sure if Botros was unconscious when he fell, but the victim was unable to provide much information to police.

'He was in pretty bad shape,' Simpson said.

The SUV was last seen traveling north on Southeast 164th Avenue from Lafayette Street.

Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 cash reward for information that leads to an arrest in this case, or any unsolved felony. Those who report will remain anonymous.

Call Crime Stoppers at 503-823-4357, leave a tip online at crimestoppersoforegon.com or text 823HELP with a tip and send it to CRIMES, or 274697.